Bottle filling and capping machine



Feb. 25, 1936. w. A. BARRETT 2,032,040

BOTTLE FILLING AND CAPPING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1932 u 103 8 iii Z: 7

l [8 Fig.1. 2

ATTORNEY INVENTOR Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to machines for filling and capping bottles such as the bottles used in dairies.

It is quite essential to the efficient operation of a plant in which bottles or other forms of containers are filled and capped that the said operations shall be performed with rapidity and at small cost. The cost of the bottle filling and capping machines commonly in use in large dair- 19 ies is such that the smaller dairies are unable to purchase them. Hence a simple, relatively inexpensive machine is desirable for the smaller dairies, and it is one of the objects of my invention to provide a simple machine by which bottles or containers may be economically filled and capped."

Another object is to provide a machine in which the containers or bottles are so supported that by a single movement of the support any number 5 of empty bottles is caused to be filled and simultaneously therewith any number of filled bottles is-caused to be capped, and in a highly sanitary manner. 7

other objects and advantages will appear heresfinafter.

The invention consists in a rotatable carrier adapted to support a plurality of bottles or containers preferably in groups and to move the groups successively to a filling station where the members of each group are filled simultaneously andthen to a second station where the members of" each group are capped simultaneously and finally to a discharge station, a group at the cappin'g station being capped while another group is g being filled at the filling station, said filling and capping operations being caused by a single upward movement of the support.

Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanyiiig 'drawing in which 6 "Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machineembodying the invention; Fig. 2 a crosssection on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a side elevationalview of the carrier and its support and Fig. 4 an enlarged cross-sectional view on line 4 -"4 4 QrFig. .3.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of the invention I is a base or pedestal in the top of which is fixed a tubular member or support 2. A sleeve 3 is mounted on the support 2, bushings 4 50 being disposed in the opposite ends of the sleeve.

The opposite ends of a pin 5 project laterally from the lower end of the sleeve 3 and serve as stops against which the lower end of a collar 6 abuts. The collar'is slidable on the sleeve. A handle 1 b 55 projects from one side of the collar and on the opposite side of the collar is pivoted a lever 8 having its inner end tapered and projecting into an opening 9 formed in the collar 6. The pointed end of the lever is adapted to engage in either of the notches I0, II formed in the sleeve 3 and when so engaged locks the collar to the sleeve.

A lever I2 is connected to a rock shaft I3 mounted in the lower end of the base I. A link I4 is secured to the shaft I3 and is pivoted to a second link I5 that is pivoted to the lower end of 10 a rod I B. This rod extends upwardly in the support 2 and its upper end is connected to the sleeve 3 by the pin 5 which extends through vertical slots I8 formed in the support 2. By rocking the lever I2 in proper direction the rod I6 is elevated to cause the sleeve 3 and the parts thereon to elevate.

Above the collar 6 is a bushing I9 and a table is revoluble on the bushing. Three sets of battle retainers 2! are adjustably mounted on the 20 top side of the table, the adjustment of each member being accomplished by the pins 22 which project upwardly from the table and are adapted to be received by the apertures 23 formed in the horizontal flanges of the retainers, there being three such apertures for each pin shown in Fig.

2. The members of each set of retainers may therefore be relatively adjusted to accommodate the size of the bottles to be filled and capped.

A reservoir 24 is mounted on the support 2 and the well known filler valves 25 normally close discharge openings formed in the bottom of the reservoir. There will be as many filler valves 25 as each set of retainers 2I will receive bottles. When the table 20 is elevated the tops of the bottles in apposition with the valves will engage the valves and move them upwardly and thereby unseat them so that the contents of the reservoir will discharge into the bottles. The springs 26 reseat the valves when the table is lowered. 46

A rigid member 27 projects laterally from the support 2 and suitably supports the capping mechanism 28 of well known design. Four tubes 29 of caps are shown in Fig. l to correspond in number to the filler nozzles. The plungers 3|], four in number, are slidably mounted in the bracket 3|, the upward movement of the plungers being opposed by the springs 32. The capper bells 33 are slidable on the plungers and are adapted to be engaged at their lower ends by the tops of the bottles, and elevated thereby when the table 20 is elevated. Pins 34 project from the capper bells and engage the plates 35 which by the movement of the capper bells reciprocate the slides 36 that extend under the capper-containing tubes 29 and move the lowermost cap in each tube into apposition with the bottles below. The upward movement of the table occasioned by rocking the lever l2, causes the bells to elevate and causes the upper ends of the bottles to engage the caps and force them against the lower ends of the plungers and thereby cause the caps to engage the usual seats in the necks of the bottles. This upward movement of the bells causes the plates 35 to retract the slides. The gravital movement of the bells causes the plates 35 to carry the caps into proper position for the next operation. It is thus seen that the operation of the capping mechanism and of the filler mechanism is automatic and requires but one initiating effort, that of rocking the lever l2.

It will be noted that I have three stations on the table 25, to-wit: one for filling the bottles, another for capping the filled bottles and an. unloading station to which the bottles in groups are carried successively and that one group of filled bottles is capped simultaneously with the filling of another group. Since the empty bottles are placed on the table in front of the operator and he is not required to approach or touch them again until they are filled and capped, the operations are carried on in a highly sanitary manner.

In the drawing the table is shown in its lowest position, that adapted for quart bottles. If pint bottles are to be filled and. capped the operator "grasps the handle l and the lever 8 and raises the table until the lever will when released engage in the notch Hi. This engagement locks the table to the sleeve 3. The notch H is used where half pint bottles are to be filled and capped.

The three sizes of bottles mentioned are those commonly in use in dairies but the machine, however, could be readily adapted for other sizes of bottles or other containers.

When the adjustment of the table and the retainers is completed the bottles are inserted in the retainers facing the operator and the table is turned to carry the bottles beneath the filler valves 25. The lever i2 is then operated to elevate the table and cause the bottles to engage and open the filler valves 25 and thereby permit the contents of the reservoir to fill the bottles. While the filling operation is taking place, other bottles may be engaged in the next retainers now in the loading position. The next turn of the table carries the unfilled bottles under the valves and the previously filled bottles under the capping mechanism. The operation of the lever l2 raises the table and causes the bottles to operate the filler valves and the capping mechanism.

' Other bottles are engaged in the third set of retainers 2i which are now in the loading position. Thereafter each turn of the table carries a set of empty bottles tothe filling'statio-n, a set of filled bottles to the capping station, and .a set of filled and capped bottles to the unloading station where the latter bottles are removed and empty bottles are substituted for them. Since the retainers are arranged at equidistant points on the table simultaneous registration of the bot- "tles with the filler valves and with the capping mechanism is assured, so that by a single operation of the lever I2 the valves and the capping mechanism are caused to operate. The toggle formed by the links l4, passes over the center when the lever 12 is fully rocked and the lever remains in the new position so that the operators hands are free to unload and load the bottles While the filling and capping operations are taking place. The lever is then rocked in the opposite direction to lower the table.

In case any of the capping devices are out of order the remainder may be used and the bottles engaged in the corresponding retainers, thus avoiding a shut down of the machine. Any number of retainers may be used and each retainer may be adapted to hold any selected number of bottles, all in accordance with the composition of the filling and capping mechanisms determined for the machine.

What I claim is:

1. A bottle filling and capping machine comprising a support, asleeve on the support, atable revolubly mounted on the sleeve, an adjustable member on the sleeve and supporting the table in vertically adjusted position on the sleeve, a reciprocable member in the support and having connection with the sleeve and with the adjust-'- able member; fillingand capping mechanisms above the table and arranged in spaced. groups,

means to support bottles in correspondingly spaced groups on the table, and means to reciprocate the reciprocable member to cause the table to raise the groups of bottles into simultaneous-- operating engagement with the; filling and cap ping mechanisms.

2. A bottle filling and capping machine: com-' prising a base, an upright tube fixedin the base and having longitudinal slots ,therein,.a. sleeve on:-

the tube, means extending transversely through the slots and vertically movable therein, a collar revolubly mounted on the sleeve and adapted to be engaged by the saidmeans, means on the collar by which to lock it to the sleeve in vertically;

3. A filling and capping mechanism comprising a support, a nonero-tatable sleeve reciprocably; mounted on the support, a table revolubly and vertically. movably mounted on the sleeve, a filler mechanism and a capperv mechanism mounted on the support above the-table, each said mechanism including a plurality of receptacle engaging units,

means on the table to support receptacles in groups for registration with said units, the groups:

being so spacedthat when one group is in registration with one of said mechanisms another group is in registration with the other mechanism, meanstoadjust the table vertically rela tively to said mechanisms, and mechanism operatively connected to the sleeve forelevating thetable to cause the receptacles to engage and operate the units simultaneously. v V

WALTER A. BARRETT. 

